professor/student harassment?

[concernedstuden]

What is the name of your state? TX

Hi, I was wondering if i could get some input on a situation i am having. I recently spoke with a counselor who told me i should consult an attorney. i have been a student at the same university for 5 years. In the past two or three years one professor in particular really drew close to me and began seeking personal time with me. this past year i began receiving persistent emails telling me how pretty i am etc...at one point i had a sexual relationship with this professor. shortly after, i became aware of him following the same exact pattern with five other students. i am convinced that this is something he has been doing for twenty years or so of his employment and i am disturbed that it may continue. would i be able to bring a case against him for sexual harassment although i had consentual sexual encounters with him before i became aware of his predatory behavior?

 

[stealth2]

Actually, I'd report him to the Dean of Students. What he's doing can - and should - cost him his job.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Actually, I'd report him to the Dean of Students. What he's doing can - and should - cost him his job.

And why? Since we don't know if the student or professor initiated the contact or if such relationships have affected grading or other benefits, this is a policy issue, NOT a legal issue.

The issues are different depending on which campus this occurred.

Requests for dates be it between students and instructors or between students) are considered sexual harassment at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, according the the latest brochure on the subject. Also, making favorable comments about someone’s wardrobe is also criminalized under UT’s policy. At Texas A&M and Rice University, whistling even counts as sexual harassment.

At UT, the official brochure entitled “Policy on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment of Students” provides the University’s definition of sexual harassment and explains how students can file a complaint.

The brochure also lists “examples of conduct that might be considered sexual harassment.” The first example, which is “demanding sexual favors in exchange for a grade,” is unquestionably a very serious form of sexual harassment.

On the other hand, the other examples listed are rather dubious. The UT brochure states that the following behaviors are all types of sexual harassment:

unwelcome and persistent activity such as making propositions or requests for dates, in person or by letter, notes, phone calls, or email;

making comments about a person’s body, attire, appearance or sexual activity;

making sexually suggestive jokes, remarks, innuendoes, or gestures; inappropriate or excessive touching;

or frequent or repeated use of sexually suggestive objects, articles or topics unrelated to the subject matter of a course.

And, to further muddy the waters, Kathryn Quilliam, Texas Tech ombudsman, explains there are two different definitions of sexual harassment:

"Quid-pro-quo is one type and it comes from the Latin term meaning something for something," she said. "For example, a professor may offer the student a good grade in return for a dinner date."



Another type of sexual harassment is known as hostile environment, Quilliam said. The person in power will do things like make sexual jokes or comments about the student's appearance or invaded the student's personal space, she said.



"Anything that makes you uncomfortable like that is a hostile environment," she said. "The student should tell the person in power to stop saying or doing the inappropriate behavior."